The present invention relates to beds, and more particularly to an adjustable multi-position care bed.
A wide variety of adjustable, multi-position beds are presently available. Such beds may be used in hospitals, nursing homes and other care facilities. A typical hospital bed includes a mattress frame divided into a plurality of sections. The frame may include a head section, a seat section and leg or foot section. The sections are positionable so that the patient may be moved from a flat resting position to a raised, seating position wherein the back is moved upwardly and the legs may be bent. Typically the sections are positioned by a motor drive or by hand operated cranks. Hand cranks present inherent problems relating to ease of use. The cranks generally are in awkward positions and use is fatiguing. The cranks are difficult to store to prevent accidents while still being functional.
In nursing homes, rest homes and other long-term or extended care facilities, multi-position beds are desirable. The costs and complexity associated with motor driven or crank operated beds may, however, be considered excessive. In addition, it is desirable in such areas to provide a bed which may be operated manually by the occupant while on the bed. The advantages of an adjustable bed may also be desirable in the residential environment for home care use and general use. Again, cost, complexity and difficulties with use prevent realization of such benefits in the home market.
Examples of prior multi-position beds ma be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,132,351 entitled Hospital Bed and which issued on May 12, 1964 to Huntress et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,230,554 entitled Motion Regulator and which issued on Jan. 25, 1966 to the present inventor and U.S. Pat. No. 3,530,514 entitled Adjustable Beds and issued on Sep. 29, 1970 to McCalley. The bed of U.S. Pat. No. 3,230,554 includes a head section, an intermediate section and a leg or foot section. The weight of the occupant may be used to raise and lower the bed or change relative positioning of the bed sections. The sections are secured to a frame through a bracket and floating links. A motion regulator is connected to the head section. The motion regulator includes a threaded shaft, a tube and a brake assembly. An actuating mechanism is provided for releasing the brake assembly.
Other beds such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,353,193 entitled Self-Adjusting Bed and issued on Nov. 21, 1967 to Greiner are also self-adjusting and are actuated by the patient's weight. In the Greiner structure, a head section is pivoted to a leg or lower section. Relative positioning between the sections is controlled by a bow-shaped member or lock bar.
A need exists for a relatively simple, reliable and easy-to-use adjustable bed having multiple sections and which may be positioned by the occupant.